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Box Turtle Sighting Report Form, PWD 1005

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Box Turtle Sighting Report Form, PWD 1005 BOX TURTLE SIGHTING REPORT FORM Please complete one form for each box turtle sighted. Name: _____________________________________________ Affiliation: __________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ City: ______________________ State: _____ Zip: __________ Phone: _____________________________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________ Date: __________________________ Time: __________________________ Information on Box Turtles in Texas Species: Eastern Box Turtle Ornate Box Turtle Status: Dead Alive Box Turtles (genus Terrapene) can be distinguished from other native Texas Size – maximum plastron (lower shell) length: _________ in. mm. turtles by having a single hinge at the front of the lower shell (plastron), Sex (see Information for characteristics): Male Female allowing them to fold it up and closing the front of the shell entirely; Location: County: _______________________________________________________ thus the common name of “box Site (particular WMA, county road, etc.): ______________________________ turtle.” Box turtles also have a ______________________________________________________________ hooked upper jaw (“beak”) that is Distance & direction from nearest town: _____________________________ lacking in other Texas turtles. The only other land turtle in Texas is the ______________________________________________________________ Texas Tortoise; it lacks any hinges on Lat.-Long.: _____________________________________________________ the plastron, has a head entirely covered with scales rather than Temperature: _________ F° C° having skin, and has a very rough upper shell (carapace). Male box Rainfall amount during previous 24 hours: _________ in. mm. turtles have red eyes (females yellow or golden), a longer tail with a thick Habitat where turtle was found (select one): base (females shorter and thinner), native grassland improved grassland and a somewhat concave plastron mixed grass/shrubs predominantly shrubland (females have a flat one). mainly deciduous woodland/forest mainly evergreen woodland/forest See reverse side for more information desert scrub agricultural land on the Eastern and Ornate Box Turtles. paved road unpaved road other: ____________________________________________________________ Questions? Dominant habitat in surrounding area (select up to three): Contact (800) 792-1112 x8722, native grassland improved grassland [email protected] mixed grass/shrubs predominantly shrubland or [email protected] mainly deciduous woodland/forest mainly evergreen woodland/forest desert scrub agricultural land Please return form to: other: ____________________________________________________________ Texas Nature Trackers TPWD Dominant land use in surrounding area (select one): 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX 78744 residential ranching agriculture timber production For additional forms, visit: park land/preserve not in current use www.tpwd.state.tx.us/boxturtles/ other: ____________________________________________________________ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department maintains the information Other notes: ___________________________________________________________ collected through this form. With few exceptions, you are entitled to be informed about the information we collect. Under Sections ________________________________________________________________________ 552.021 and 552.023 of the Texas Government Code, you are also entitled to receive and review the information. Under Section 559.004, you are also entitled to have this information corrected. ________________________________________________________________________ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin,TX 78744; 1-800-792-1112; www.tpwd.state.tx.us ________________________________________________________________________ PWD 1005-W7000 (7/09) Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) The carapace of the Eastern Box Turtle is noticeably longer than wide, domed with a narrow keel lengthwise down the center, and has some flaring at the rear edge. The tallest point of the shell is well back towards the tail, so viewed side­ ways it’ll be tallest at the back of the turtle. The carapace is light brown to tan with a few dark flecks on it. The plastron is normally solid yellow without any markings, although the edges individual plates may be dark. Orange, yellow or red spots sometimes visible on head and forelegs. The subspecies in Texas (triunguis) almost always has three toes on each hind foot. © Terry Hibbitts Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata) The carapace of the Ornate Box Turtle is relatively broad and oval, usually slightly flattened at the top, and lacks both a narrow keel lengthwise down the center and any flaring at the rear edge. The tallest point of the shell is just in front of the hinge on the plastron, so viewed sideways it’ll be tallest at the front of the turtle. The carapace is dark with many yellow lines, sometimes grouped into “starbursts” radiating downward, and the plastron is dark brown or black with a pattern similar to the carapace. There are almost always four toes on each hind foot. © Terry Hibbitts .
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